Cushioned end closure device for cartons



May 29, 1962 A. B. KLEINGERS, JR

CUSHIONED END CLOSURE DEVICE FOR CA RTONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July25, 1960 ATT E N EYS- y 9, 1962 A. B. KLEINGERS, JR 3,036,754

CUSHIONED END CLOSURE DEVIC E FOR CARTONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July25, 1960 INVENTOR. AL /2E0 5 IQE/NG'EES /Q BY flu Armrzmzvs.

3,036,754 CUSHIONED END CLOSURE DEVICE FOR CARTONS Alfred B. Kleingers,Jr., Middletown, Ohio, assignor to The Interstate Folding Box Company,Middletown,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed July 25, 1960, Ser. No. 45,164 3Claims. (Cl. 229-39) My invention relates to an end closure device forpaperboard cartons, and more particularly to a simple means ofconstruction which will provide a cushion for the safe packaging ofbreakable merchandise.

With the growing number of commodities placed on the market in breakablecontainers, tubes, bottles, and the like there has been an increasingneed for a packaging carton which will provide a certain measure ofprotection from breakage to its contents. In most presently availablecarton structures, the merchandise rests directly against the bottom ofthe carton, and so is especially subject t9 brpakage due to dropping. Ifprotection is to be afforded at all, it was only possible by means ofrelatively complicated and expensive liners and spacers. In the instantinvention, I have devised an end closure construction which even thoughsimple and inexpensive, avoids the disadvantages enumerated above.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of my invention to provide an endclosure means for paperboard cartons which will adequately serve tocushion and protect the contents of the carton.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of an endclosure device which, when used with a carton structure having a die cutopening in its front panel, automatically forms a means of centering thecontents of the carton for better and more complete display.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a cushioned endclosure for a paperboard container which may be quickly and easilyclosed, either by hand or by machine, without any gluing or othermanipulation before closing.

These and other objects of the instant invention which will be pointedout in more detail hereinafter, or which will be apparent to one skilledin the art upon reading these specifications, -I accomplish by thoseconstructions and arrangements of parts of which I shall now describecertain exemplary embodiments.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a carton blank in accordance with myinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 1 after the first fold hasbeen made;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 2 after the second fold hasbeen made, showing glue applied to one flap;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a carton embodying my invention in theflat-folded condition;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a partial perspective view illustrating the carton body inan erected condition, and illustrating the flaps forming the cushionedend closure device in extended position;

FIGURE 7 is a partial perspective view similar to FIGURE 6 showing oneof the end closure flaps infolded;

FIGURE 8 a perspective view similar to FIGURE 7 showing both end closureflaps infolded;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view with parts broken away of a cartonembodying my invention;

FIGURE 10 is a vertical-sectional View taken along line 1010 of FIGURE9;

3,936,754 Patented May 29, 1962 FIGURE 11 is a plan view of a cartonblank showing a modification of my invention;

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of an erected carton embodying themodification of FIGURE 1 1.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, I have illustrateda carton blank in accordance with my invention, and utilizing in partthe hollow Wall box construction disclosed by co-worker Robert Bergsteinin US Patent No. 2,681,174. As seen in FIGURE 1, I provide a rear wallpanel 1 flanked by articulated side wall panels 2 and 3; and to panel 2is articulated an inner front panel 4 which is in turn articulated to aglue flap 5. Attached to side wall panel 3 is an outer front panel 6,adapted to be folded over panel 5. An outer side wall panel 7 isprovided which will be adhesively joined to side panel member 2.

As can be seen in FIGURE 1, inner top panel member 4 is cut and scoredto provide the flaps 8a and 8b, joined to panel 5 along lines ofarticulation 9a and 9b, and divided by score lines 10a and 10b.Likewise, panel 6 is cut to form panels 11a and 11b joined to panel 6 bylines of articulation 12a and 12b.

As seen in FIGURE 2, panel 4 and glue flap 5 are first infolded overalong the line of articulation between panels 2 and 4, and adhesive isapplied to the upper surface of flap 5. A second fold is made along theline of articulation between panels 1 and 3, thereby juxtaposing thepanel 4 to the underlying panel 6, with the glue flap 5 juxtaposed tothe side wall panel 3 adjacent the line of articulation 12a, the part 5now assuming the condition illustrated in FIGURE 3. Adhesive is appliedto outer side wall panel 7 which, is then infolded and secured to panel2, bringing the carton to the condition illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5.

Referring back to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that identical closure flaps13a and 13b are articulated to the opposite ends of rear wall panel 1,and closure flaps 14a and 14b are articulated to the opposite ends ofouter front wall panel 6. Each pair of these four flap members formscushioned end closure for the carton. Flaps 13a and 13b are providedwith one or more die cut projections 15a and 15b. Flaps 14a and 14b areprovided with medial lines of fold 16a and 16b and one or more die cutsegments 17a and 17b lying along this line of fold. To close the carton,it is only necessary to press the flaps 14a and 14b downward and inward,into the body of the carton. This will automatically cause the flaps 14aand 14b to fold along their medial lines of fold 16a and 16b, therebyassuming an angular position, as seen in FIG- URE 7, and at the sametime open the die cut segments 17a and 17b. Flaps 13a and 13b are thenfolded inwardly, and their die cut projections 15a and 15b will snapinto the opened segments 17a and 17b in flaps 14a and 14b. The carton isnow completed and is in the stage shown by FIGURES 8 through 10.

When downward pressure is exerted on flaps 11a and 11b, they in turnforce downward and inward panels 8a and 8b to form inner walls in whichthe merchandise con tents of the carton may be fully displayed. It isunderstood of course that this blank could be formed from any box-boardor paperboard having the desired weight and surface finish. Furthermore,the illustrative hollow wall box construction by no means limits theinstant invention; any conventional four-panel carton may be usedequally well.

It will be understood of course that while the drawings show V shapedcut-outs on the top and bottom of all the side panel members to conformto the final shape of the fully formed end closure, they are by no meansnecessary to the invention. Ordinary rectangular wall panels could beused in the normal manner and the end closure would still operate in thesame fashion.

As seen in the side sectional view of FIGURE 10, the contents of such acarton is automatically centered equidistant (approximately /2 to A ofan inch) from the ends of the carton. This serves both the purpose ofproviding an adequate and simple means of cushioning the contentsagainst sudden shocks, as well as assuring better display of thecontents when a die cut opening in the front panel or a hollow wall boxof the type illustrated is used.

In FIGURES 11 and 12, I have illustrated a modification of my invention.A conventional four wall carton is shown having a rear wall panel 20,side wall panels 21 and 22, and a front wall panel 23. A glue flap 24 isarticulated to rear wall panel 20. The front wall panel 23 is cut andscored to provide flaps 25a and 25b, which may be folded inward toprovide full exposure of the contents of the carton. Articulated to rearwall panel 20 is a closure flap 130 similar to flaps 13a and 13bdescribed earlier; and articulated to front wall panel 23 is a closureflap 146 similar to flaps 14a and 14b. Flap 13c is provided with atleast one die cut projection 15c; flap 140 has a medial line of fold16c, and at least one die cut segment 17c lying along the line of fold.Articulated t the opposite end of rear wall panel 20 is a modifiedclosure flap 26, and articulated to the opposite end of front wall panel23 is a second modified closure flap 27. Flap 27 is provided with amedial line of fold 28, and an oval cutout 29. This cut-out 29 is ofsuch shape that when the flaps are folded into their erected positionand examined from the end, the cut-out describes a circle. This ovalcut-out is centered at the middle of the line of fold 28. Flap 26 isprovided with a cut-out 30 which is substantially identical to one-halfof cut-out 29 in flap 27. When the flap 27 is folded downward and inwardinto the carton body, it will fold along its line of fold 28 and assumean angular position. Flap 26 can then be folded over into juxtapositionwith the outer portion of flap 27, as seen in FIGURE 12. In thisposition the oval cut-outs are superposed in such fashion as to receivethe cap of a bottle, as also seen in FIGURE 12. When a cap projectsthrough the cut-outs, the flaps are effectively secured in theirinfolded position. Furthermore, the shoulders of the bottle will besupported by the closure flaps and the top of the cap will be held somedistance from the ends of the erected carton, thereby providing aneffective cushion for the bottle or other contents.

Modifications may, of course, be made in my invention without departingfrom the spirit of it. For example, the shape of the cut-outs may bevaried to accommodate them to bottles and the like of varying shapes.Having,

however, described my invention in certain exemplary embodiments, what Iclaim as new and what I desire to secure and protect by Letters Patentis:

1. In a carton structure having enclosing body walls defining a tubularbody, a cushioning end closure for said structure comprising a pair ofclosure flaps of unequal Width articulated to opposite walls of saidcarton body, the longer of said closure flaps being of a width greaterthan the distance between said opposite walls of said carton body anddivided into an inner portion and an outer portion by a line of foldextending parallel to the line of articulation joining the said closureflap to the carton body, the shorter of said closure flaps being of awidth equal to that of said outer portion of said longer flap, wherebywhen said longer flap is depressed into the body of said carton andfolded along said dividing line of fold to form a cushioning memberwhich is of inverted V shape in cross-section, the free edge of saidouter portion will lie along the line of articulation between saidshorter flap and the carton wall, and the shorter of said flaps may befolded inward and juxtaposed over the outer portion of said longer flapwith the free end of said shorter flap lying along the line of fold insaid longer flap, and means for detachably securing said shorter flap inits infolded position. 7

2. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for detachablysecuring said shorter flap in its infolded position comprises at leastone die cut segment in said longer flap adjacent to said line of foldtherein and adapted to be opened as said longer flap is folded along itsline of fold, and mating projections on said shorter fiap adapted to beengaged in the openings defined by said die cut segments.

3. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein the line of fold in said longerflap is a medial line of fold, and said shorter flap is substantiallyone-half the width of said longer flap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,343,002 Markert June 8, 1920 2,103,382 Petter Dec. 28, 1937 2,303,264Flick Nov. 24, 1942 2,448,401 Stone Aug. 31, 1948 2,666,567 Farrell Jan.19, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 437,698 Great Britain Nov. 4, 1935 485,831Canada Aug. 19, 1952

